Mercredi, 3 octobre 2007
16 h 30
Salle 204 B

Land is one of the most valuable resources of a country, which reflects its influence through economical, social and environmental issues. The idea of sustainable land management became imperative with the growth of the population. Sophisticated technological developments make a platform to use land related matters meaningfully. The implementation of a management system is generally based on the financial affordability and manipulation of physical and human resources. The most difficult stage is the incorporation of existing systems. Land is tagged with the ownership, whether it is state or private. It would be certainly complex to identify the local parameters between the existing land tenure and the proposed system if a country has a long experience in engaging on active land administration. Sri Lanka has been practicing its owned land administration since the ancient King’s period. Historical evidences could be found in alleviating of taxation in the reign of the King Nissanka Malla (1187-1196). The prevailing system was drastically changed during the periods of invasions by the Portuguese (1505-1656), the Dutch (1640-1796) and the British (1796-1948). The local land tenure was reformed accordingly.

Sri Lanka is an island (65 300 km²) with a population density of 335 persons/km². The country is currently moving towards a Registration of Title System, from a Deed Registration System. The project is being well backed by the legislature. Registration of title to land would revolutionize the conventional idea about the land right or the ownership. It needs a systematic and a strategic approach to change the customary attitudes of people who are rather conservative. This paper discusses the qualitative, quantitative and social aspects of the ongoing Land Titling Project in Sri Lanka, which is based on this context.

P.G.V. Abeyratne, University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka